Sliding door assembly



FIG.I

Aug. 3, 1965 Filed June 5, 1963 D. R. VORIS SLIDING DOOR ASSEMBLY 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

DONALD R. Vows BY ca m ATTORNEY Aug. 3, 1965 D. R. VORIS SLIDING DOOR ASSEMBLY 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 5, 1965 INVENTOR DONALD R. VOBIS ATTORNEY Aug. 3, 1965 D. R. VORIS 3,197,817

SLIDING DOOR ASSEMBLY Filed June 5, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet (5 FIG. 6

56 INVENTOR DONALD R. Vo R|s BY QW K ATTORNEY Aug. 3, 1965 D. R. VORIS SLIDING DOOR ASSEMBLY 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 5, 1963 INVENTOR. DONALD R. VoP .|s BY 2 W ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,197,817 SLIDING DOOR ASSEMBLY Donald R. Voris, 333 Way Ave, Kirlrwood 22, M0. Filed June 5, 1963, Ser. No. 285,777 8 Claims. (Cl. zit-1%) This invention relates in general to sliding doors and, more particularly, to a sliding door assembly incorporating novel means for effecting a tight seal between sliding doors and the elements bordering the door opening.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a sliding door assembly incorporating novel means adapted to maintain the door elements 'spacedly from the wall containing the door opening, so as to allow relatively smooth, easily effected slideable movement of the doors toward and away from closed relationship.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a sliding door assembly having doors normally urged forwardly of the wall containing the door opening and embodying means for simultaneously effecting both downwardly and rearwardly directed movement of the doors upon closure for effecting snug sealing relationship with elements defining the door opening.

it is a still further object of the present invention to provide a sliding door assembly of the type presented forwardly of the door opening and hence movable in planes parallel to that wall containing the opening and having overhead suspension means adapted for pivotal movement for effecting forward and rearward movement of the associated doors. I

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a sliding door assembly incorporating means for effectively returning the doors from sealing relationship upon initiation of the door opening movement.

Other objects and details of the "invention will be apparent from the following description, when read in connection with the accompanying drawings (4 sheets) where- 1n FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of a sliding door assembly constructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary end view taken on the line 22 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a vertical view taken on the line 33 of FIGURE 2. r FIGURE 4 is a top plan view taken on the line 44 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a horizontal transverse sectional view taken on the line 55 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the lower portion of a sliding door of the present invention.

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary end view taken on the line 7--7 of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary end view taken substantially on the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1, but showing the door in closed condition. i

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary top plan view taken sub stantially on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3, but showing the door in closed condition.

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary front elevational view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

Referring now by reference characters to the drawings which illustrate the preferred embodiment of the present invention, A designates generally a sliding door assembly which may incorporate only a single leaf sliding door,

but which for purposes of illustration, is shown and described herein as comprising a pair of cooperative; vertically disposed, horizontally aligned slidingdoors 1, 1' adapted for edge to edge abutment, in flush arrangement, when closed; said doors 1, 1'. being designed for closure 3,197,817v Patented Aug. 3, 1965 of an opening 2 as provided in a wall 3. Opening 2 is defined by vertical side portions or jambs 4, a header 5 and a base or support component 6, such as flooring. Doors 1, 1' are presented in planar parallel relationship to wall 3 and are, thus, disposed forwardly of the same, and being distinguished from the type adapted for movement within the same plane as the wall 3. In order to facilitate orientation, the term forward or forwardly will be used to signify movement in a direction away from the plane of wall 3, while the term rearwardly" will be utilized to indicate movement toward such plane. The terms outer, outwardly or the like are used herein to signify directions laterally away from the door opening, or the direction in which a door would travel for effecting door opening, While the terms inner or inwardly indi cate lateral movement of the doors toward the door opening or toward the door closure.

Doors 1, 1 being provided with overhead suspension means, to be described hereinbelow, have secured on their upper ends an angle shaped mounting plate or apron 7 embodying a depending vertical flange 8 extending transversely across the upper front face of each door 1, 1' and a horizontal flange 9 fixed on the upper edge of the said doors. Rigid with horizontal flange 9 of each apron 7 and projecting upwardly therefrom at a point relatively proximate the inner vertical margin of the related door are connector members 19, 1d, respectively, which are, in turn, respectively engaged to the lower and upper courses of an endless drive chain 11. One end of drive chain 11 is trained about a pulley 12 carried upon a bracket 13 suitably afiixed to wall 3. At its other end, drive chain 11 is engaged to a prime mover 14 supported by conventional means upon wall 3 upwardly and laterally outwardly of door 1. Thus, by energization of prime mover 14, travel of endless drive chain 11 will be effected causing doors 1, 1' to be moved in opposite directions, so that during closing operation with the prime mover being driven in one direction, doors 1, 1' will move toward each other into closing relationship and upon reversal of primemover 14, the said doors 1, 1 will be caused to travel away from each other into door opening relationship.

Spacedly above the upper edges of doors 1, 1' and secured upon wall 3 is a transversely extending mounting member 15, having horizontal, forwardly projecting flange 16 to the under surface of which is welded, or otherwise afiixed, a pair of parallel, elongated spaced apart forward and rearward sections 17, 17' being of C-shaped in cross section and opening toward each other. The lower portions of sections 17, 17' form rails 18, 18", respectively, for receiving the related aligned rollers 19 at the inner and outer ends of a pair of commonly called trolley cars 20, 20"for respective association with each door 1, 1'. Each trolley car 20, 30 comprises a pair of spaced apart side plates 21, 21' (FIGURE 2) having suitable axle and spacer members for supporting the related rollers 19, 19' at the inner and outer ends thereof. Disposedbetween side plates 21, 21" of each trolley car 20, 20' and secured to the opposite inner faces thereof is a pair of outer and inner journal boxes 22, 22', which are spaced apart longitudinally of the respective trolley cars. The union of side plates21, 21' with the'journal boxes 22, 22' serve to integrate trolley cars 20, 26' in a unitary structure for ease of traversing movement along the rails 18, 13'. The journal boxes 22, 22' are inclined downwardly and outwardly, extending slightly below the related trolley cars 20, ll? and with the longitudinal axes thereof being presented at an angle of substantially forty-five degrees to the longitudinal axes of the related trolley cars, or, in other words, to the horizontal. As will be described in greater detail hereinbearszsrz low, journal boxes 22, 22' constitute the means whereby novel suspension elements, broadly designated 23, 23', are connected to trolley cars 23, which latter thus effect engagement between doors 1, 1' and the related cars 20, 20. It will therefore, be seen that doors 1, 1 are suspended in an overhead manner, but with the elements 23, 23' being utilized in lieu of the customary hardware constituted traditionally of a simple, rigid vertical hanger plate.

Each suspension element 23, 23' of each door 1, 1' com prises a fiat cross-bar or so-called throw 24 having an upper or rearward crank 25 fixed to the upper face thereof and adjacent its rearward end; said crank being axially normal to thelongitudinal axis of cross-bar 24 and being received within the proximate journal boxes 22, 22'. Extending downwardly from the under face of the forward end portion of cross-bar 24 is a lower or forward crank 26 axially parallel to upper or rearward crank 25. Cranks 26 are received within journal boxes 27 mounted on the outer face of flange 8 of each apron 7 in substantially aligned relationship with the corresponding journal boxes 22, 22' and in axial parallel relationship thereto. Cranks 26 extend through their related journal boxes 27 with there being preferably retaining washers 28 engaged thereon for maintaining said cranks securely within the said journal boxes. By the disposition of said journal boxes 22, 22' and 27, the cross-bar 24 of each suspension element 23, 23' will be presented within a plane at an angle of forty-five degrees to the vertical, so that any throwing or swinging of cross-bar 24 within its plane of'movement will cause the lower or forward end of said cross-bar 24 to describe a path which is downward and then upward as it would move about crank 25 as a center of rotation. As may best be seen in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4, the cranks 25 and 26 of each suspension element 23, 23' are offset with respect to each other, so that the intervening cross-bar 24 will overlie a substantial portion of the upper edge of the proximate door 1, 1'.

The outer suspension elements 23, 23 on each door 1, 1' carry an extension arm 29 extending rearwardly from the rearward end edge of cross-bar 24 being fixedly engaged thereon, and at its extremity, mounts a vertical stub shaft 30, which at its lower end carries a horizontally disposed roller or cam follower 31 for traverse along a narrow, way-forming cam .32 secured on wall 3 upwardly of the associated door 1, 1' and laterally outwardly of the opening 2. The inner end of each cam 32 is turned silghtly upwardly and forwardly as at 33 which end is substantially vertically aligned with the forwardly presented faces of the door opening jambs 4. Engaged to extension arm 29 is the outer, upper end of a coil spring 34, the inner lower end of which is secured, as by a swivel hook 35, to the horizontal flange 9 of the related apron 7 adjacent the related connector 11 and by a turn buckle 36 interposed between spring 34 and hook 35 for adjustment of tension of said spring 34. Spring 34 biases the elements 23, 23 carrying extension arm 29 inwardly at its inner end, so as to urge doors 1, 1 away from or forwardly of wall 3, as may best be seen in FIGURE 2, wherebyrdirect sliding travel of doors 1, 1 toward and awayfrom each other will be easily accomplished without, .and being maintained against, unauthorized contact with wall 3 and parts thereof, avoiding obstructive friction producing contact, so that such movement is effected with minimum force and could, if desired, be easily accomplished manually.

On their lower outer edges, adjacent their rearward face, each door 1, 1 carries horizontally presented guide roller 3'7 on the lower end of a short stub shaft 38, suitably journaled in a bracket 39 affixed to the dooredging. Roller 37 cam-wise engages on its peripheral surface a track 40 secured to wall 3 immediately upwardly of support surface 6 and presented outwardly of said wall 3 a distance substantially equivalent to the normal spacing between the upper portion of doors 1, 1'

and wall 3, by virtue of the influence of spring 34 upon suspension elements 23, 23, so that doors 1, 1 are mamtained throughout their extent in planar-wise parallel relationship to wall 3. Said roller 37, during door closure, progresses along track 40 to the inner portions 41 thereof, which are rearwardly, inwardly and downwardly inclined (see FIGURES 5 and 6) for permitting movement of the lower ends of the doors 1, 1' rearwardly toward wall 3. It will be seen that the said inner portions 41 of tracks 41) are located slightly outwardly of the in ner end 33 of the related cam 32 for purposes presently appearing. Provided on the outer lower end face of doors 1, 1' is a transversely extending narrow cam surface 42 for engagement thereagainst of a guide roller 43 mounted on a short shaft 44 suitably journaled in an upstanding U-shape bracket 45 mounted on floor 6, which engagement thus restricts the lower ends of doors 1, 1' against any inadvertent forward swinging tendency during sliding travel. Said cam surface 42 at its outer portion is provided with a forwardly and outwardly inclined terminal'section 47, integral at its extremity with bracket 39 for support thereby; said roller 43 being relatively moved across said section 47 during rearward movement of doors 1, 1' (in a manner to be described hereinbelow), so as to securely maintain the lower ends of said doors in tightly sealed relationship. It is to be especially noted that doors 1, 1 through suspension elements 23, 23' are normally maintained in upwardly spaced relationship at their lower ends with respect to support surface 6, so that no inadvertent contact is made therewith during door sliding movement. However, as will be shown, doors 1, 1' will be forced downwardly in closed condition, but due to the height of earn track 42, roller 43 will not lose engagement therewith.

Provided on the bottom margin of doors 1, 1 is a sealing member or gasket 48, with similar sealing members in general strip form, as of suitable resilient material, are engaged to the rearward face of doors 1, ll adjacent their side edges as at 49, 50, and with a transverse sealing member 51 extending across the top marginal portion of the rearward face of each door between gaskets 43, 50. On the inner vertical edge of each door 1, 1 are novel interlocking resilient gaskets 52, 52' which are brought into sealing relationship when doors 1, 1 are closed, so as to prevent any heat transfer between the confronting edges of the said doors. Gaskets 49 and 51 on doors 1, 1' are presented for sealing relationship with complementary side and header gaskets 53, 54, respectively, mounted on wall 3, opening 2. In operation, with doors 1, 1 in open relationship as shown in full lines in FIGURE 1, with the suspension elements 23, 23 in .the position shown in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4, wherein cam follower 31 will engage cam 32 immediately proximate its outer end, and with spring 34 urginig the said suspension elements 23, 23 inwardly, so as to present doors 1, 1' in forwardly spaced relationship to wall 3, and wherein the lower ends of said doors 1, 1' will be in upwardly spaced relationship to the support surface 6 with guide roller 37 engaging track 46 near its outer end, doors 1, 1 are, thus, presented for facile sliding movement toward each other into closed relationship. Such sliding movement, as stated above, may be easily effected by operation of drive chain 11 consequent to energization of prime mover 14, the said doors 1,1, being spaced from wall 3 and from support surface 6, will move with minimum friction as the relatedtrolley cars 20,24) will smoothly traverse rails 18, 18. As also indicated above, doors 1, 1' are restrained against inadvertent swinging away from mutual planar aligned relationship and planar parallel relationship to wall 3 by guide rollers 37 and 43.

Upon engagement of cam follower 31 with the outwardly turned end sections 33 of cam 32, the travel of said cam follower 31, in a path-parallel to the path of movement of the related doors 1, 1, will be arrested, so that upon continued movement of said-doors, spring 34 will be placed under stress and the said suspension elements 23, 23 will be caused to pivot about upper cranks 25. Such pivotal movement will cause the related crossbar 24 to pivot in what might be considered a counterclockwise direction as indicated by arrows in FIGURE 3, with attendant rotative movement of lower cranks 26 within their journal boxes 27. Such swinging movement of suspension elements 23, 23' will cause the cross-bar 24 to move initially downwardly and, thence, inwardly in attempting to follow its prescribed arc of swinging, which movement will be transmitted to the related doors 1, 1', so as to drive same simultaneously downwardly and rearwardly, whereby base gasket 48 will be forced into tight sealing relationship with the support surface 6, while side and upper gaskets 49, 51, will be, respectively, brought into snug, surface-binding relationship with the opposed or cooperating seals 53, 54, respectively, on the wall portions adjacent the side jambs 4 and the header 5, respectively, all as may best be seen in FIGURES 8, 9 and 10. It will be noted that the edge gaskets 52, 52' of doors 1, 1' will be interlocked, so that the said doors 1, 1 throughout their peripheral portions will form an air-tight closure for door opening 2 to inhibit undesired heat transfer, and, thus, render the now enclosed space suitable for refrigeration purposes or any other use entailing temperature control.

As is evident from the foregoing, the novel suspension elements 23, 23 serve to simultaneously effect both downward and wall-directed movement of doors 1, 1 to effect proper sealing relationship of the same, and, also, assures of maintenance of the doors 1, 1' in such relationship while closed. With reference to FIGURE 5, it will be seen that the rearward movement or" doors 1, ll will be assisted by coaction between guide roller 43 and the confronting inclined section 47 of track 42 which will bring about a wedging action for assisting in directing the lower ends of the doors inwardly as well as maintaining same in such condition. The termination of track 49 laterally of door opening 2 thus assures of unimpeded rearward movement of the lower portion of the doors inwardly, and due to the downward inclination of portions 41, guide roller 37 will maintain contact with track 46 while the doors 1, 1 are closed.

In order to limit swinging of suspension elements 23, 23' there is mounted upon the horizontal flange 9 of each apron 6 an upstanding detent 6% for engagement with the cross-bar 24 of the outermost suspension elements 23, 23', all as may best be seen in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4. Thus, said detents t) prevent free rotation of said suspension elements 23, 23 and restrain same for operative movement only in the manner requisite for efficient operation of the present invention.

Upon initiation of door opening operation, as by suitably energization of prime mover 14, cam follower 31 will move returningly along inclined portion 33, and upon arrival at track 32, will efiect release of stress upon spring 34, so that the same may thereby bias suspension elements 23, 23' into their normal condition with immediate forward and upward movement of doors 1, 1, so that the seal between same and the components of the door frame is broken and the same are thereby freed for ease of lateral travel into fully open condition.

It should be understood that changes and modifications in the formation, construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of the sliding door assembly may be made and substituted for these herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with a wall having an opening therein, said opening having a header, parallel side portions and a base member, a flat closure for said opening, a rail element presented above said opening and upwardly and above said closure, a mobile member disposed on said til rail member for traverse therealong for 'efiecting movement of said closure into and from occluding disposition with respect to said opening, at least one crank assembly interengaging said mobile member and said closure for suspension of the latter, said crank assembly having first and second crank arms, said first crank arm being pivotally engaged to said mobile member, said second crank arm being pivotally engaged in the upper end portion of said closure, said first crank arm being disposed upwardly and inwardly of said second crank arm, a cross memher having upper and lower ends, respectively engaged to said first and second crank arms and being disposed in inclined relationship to the vertical whereby said first and second crank arms may be simultaneously pivoted, a cam surface presented above said closure, a cam follower mounted on said crank assembly for coaction with said cam surface during travel of said closure, resilient means biasing the upper end of said cross member into full upward relationship, said cam surface incorporating a detent portion for arresting travel therealong of said cam follower whereby upon such development said resilient means are stressed for effecting a downward and inward swinging of said cross member for causing said closure to be moved downwardly and inwardly toward the plane of said wall.

2. In combination with a wall having an opening therein, said opening having a header, parallel side portions and a base member, a door for said opening, a rail element present upwardly and above said door, a mobile member disposed on said rail element for traverse therealong, at least one crank assembly interengaging said mobile member and the upper end of said door for suspension of the latter and for eifecting lateral sliding movement of said door into and from occluding disposition of said opening, said crank assembly comprising a first crank arm pivotally mounted to said mobile member, a second crank arm pivotally mounted on said door, a cross arm disposed across the upper end of said door and engaged in its opposite end portions to said first and second crank arms, said cross arm being presented at an angle of less than degrees to the vertical whereby said first crank arm is presented upwardly of said second crank arm, resilient means urging said cross arm into transverse relationship with respect to the upper end of said door, a cam track mounted on said wall upwardly of said door and being in axially parallel relation to said rail element, a cam follower carried on said crank assembly for movement along said cam track during sliding movement of said door, said cam track including at its inner end a detent portion for arresting travel of said follower whereby upon succeeding movement of said door said crank assembly will be swung, stressing said resilient means, to cause said cross arm to swing downwardly and inwardly for causing consequent downward and inward movement of said door with respect to said opening.

3. The combination defined in claim 2 and further characterized by said detent portion of said cam track comprising an arm projecting forwardly at an angle of less than 90 degrees to the axis of said cam track.

4. The combination defined in claim 3 and further characterized by said cam follower comprising a roller adapted to rotate about a vertical axis and being mounted for rotation in the upper portion of said crank assembly.

5. The combination defined in claim 3 and further characterized by said cam follower comprising a roller adapted to rotate about a vertical axis, an extension connected to the upper end portion of said cross arm and projecting inwardly toward said wall, said roller being mounted on said extension.

6. The combination defined in claim 3 and further characterized by said resilient means comprising a spring engaged at one end to said. door and at its other end proximate the mounting for said cam follower.

7. The combination defined in claim 2 and further characterized by said first and second crank arms being axially parallel and extending in opposite directions from opposite ends of said cross arm.

8. A sliding door assembly comprising in combination a vertical wall surface having a door opening therein, there being a header portion, side jamb portions, and a base member defining said opening, a door for said opening, a rail element located upwardly and above said door, means for supporting said rail element, a mobile member disposed on said rail member for traverse therealong, at least one crank assembly interengaging said mobile member and the upper end of said door for simultaneous suspension of the latter and for effecting lateral sliding movement of said door, upon travel of said mobile member, into and from occluding disposition with respect to said opening, said crank assembly comprising a cross arm disposed across the upper end of said door and at an angle of less than 90 degrees to the vertical, first and second axially parallel cranks extending in opposite directions from opposite ends of said cross arm, a journal mounted on said door for receiving said second crank arm, a journal mounted on said mobile member for receiving said first crank arm, said first crank arm being presented upwardly of said second crank arm, resilient means urging said cross arm into transverse relationship with respect to the upper end of said door, a cam track '8 mounted on said wall above said door, the axis of said cam track being parallel to the axis of said rail element, an extension projecting from the upper end of said cross arm toward said wall, a cam follower mounted on said extension for coaction with said cam track upon movement of said door, said cam track having at one end a portion turned outwardly from the plane of said wall for detaining engagement with said cam follower so that upon successive movement of said door said resilient means will be stressed causing said cross arm to be swung toward longitudinally aligned relationship with respect to said door for causing both downward and inward movement of said door with respect to said opening.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,807,836 10/57 Knowles 2023 X 2,878,532 3/59 Clark 2019 3/60 Slopa et a1 2023 X FOREIGN PATENTS 882,723 11/61 Great Britain.

HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A WALL HAVING AN OPENING THEREIN, SAID OPENING HAVING A HEADER, PARALLEL SIDE PORTIONS AND A BASE MEMBER, A FLAT CLOSURE FOR SAID OPENING, A RAIL ELEMENT PRESENTED ABOVE SAID OPENING AND UPWARDLY AND ABOVE SAID CLOSURE, A MOBILE MEMBER DISPOSED ON SAID RAIL MEMBER FOR TRAVERSE THEREALONG FOR EFFECTING MOVEMENT OF SAID CLOSURE INTO AND FROM OCCLUDING DISPOSITION WITH RESPECT TO SAID OPENING, AT LEAST ONE CRANK DISPOSITION INTERENGAGING AND SAID MOBILE MEMBER AND SAID CLOSURE FOR SUSPENSION OF THE LATTER, SAID CRANK ASSEMBLY HAVING FIRST AND SECOND CRANK ARMS, SAID FIRST CRANK ARM BEING PIVOTALLY ENGAGED TO SAID MOBILE MEMBER, SAID SECOND CRANK ARM BEING PIVOTALLY ENGAGED IN THE UPPER END PORTION OF SAID CLOSURE, SAID FRIST CRANK ARM BEING DISPOSED UPWARDLY AND INWARDLY OF SAID SECOND CRANK ARM, A CROSS MEMBER HAVING UPPER AND LOWER ENDS, RESPECTIVELY ENGAGED TO SAID FIRST AND SECOND CRANK ARMS AND BEING DISPOSED IN INCLINED REALTIONSHIP TO THE VERTICAL WHEREBY SAID FIRST AND SECOND CRANK ARMS MAY BE SIMULTANEOUSLY PIVOTED, A CAN SURFACE PRESENTED ABOVE SAID CLOSURE, A CAM FOLLOWER MOUNTED ON SAID CRANK ASSEMBLY FOR COACTION WITH SAID CAM SURFACE DURING TRAVEL OF SAID CLOSURE, RESILIENT MEANS BIASING THE UPPER END OF SAID CROSS, MEMBER INTO FULL UPWARD RELATIONSHIP, SAID CAM SURFACE INCORPORATING A DETENT PORTION FOR ARRESTING TRAVEL THEREALONG OF SAID CAM FOLLOWER WHEREBY UPON SUCH DEVELOPMENT SAID RESILIENT MEANS ARE STRESSED FOR EFFECTING A DOWNWARD AND INWARD SWINGING OF SAID CROSS MEMBER FOR CAUSING SAID CLOSURE TO BE MOVED DOWNWARDLY AND INWARDLY TOWARD THE PLANE OF SAID WALL. 